by Kate Gosselin’s strained relationship with two of her children, Hannah and Collin Gosselin, is explored in a new documentary — and they make some heartbreaking claims about the reality TV matriarch.
The Gosselin family rose to fame on TLCs in 2007 Jon & Kate Plus 8. When the parents went through their rocky divorce in 2009, it sent a ripple effect through the family. In a preview for Vice TVs Dark side of the 2000s, Hannah claims that Collin was going to be “separated” from his siblings, presumably after Jon left. (Kate and Jon Gosselin share 19-year-old sextuplets Aaden, Joel, Leah, Alexis, Collin, and Hannah. They are also parents to 22-year-old twin daughters Cara and Madelyn.)
“[Collin] wouldn’t come out to play with us,” Hannah continued in the clip. “He would eat at different times than we do.”
Collin stated, “I’m not going to say I was a perfect kid, but I would say my misbehavior was no different from my siblings.”
Hannah exclaimed that she doesn’t “think there’s been any effort at home to help him learn what behaviors are acceptable and what behaviors aren’t acceptable.”
“I know my mom went through a lot of things. I mean a divorce and a lot of different things that aren’t easy to go through. And, you know, I want to think she needed someone to take out her anger and frustration on , and it was just nice of me,” Collin added. “I got in the way and I was there. So she chose me.”
A representative for Kate did not respond to Yahoo Entertainment’s request for comment.
The rift within the Gosselin family is nothing new. Jon has publicly accused Kate of mentally and physically abusing Collin. Here’s a look back at the turbulent family relationships over the years.
Kate sent Collin away to an institution
Collin was admitted at age 12 when his mother enrolled him in a program to meet his “special needs.” In June 2017, a letter was leaked to The daily mail in which the teenager begged his father for help.
“I’m counting on you to get me out of here. Dad, I love you. Save me. Please come SOON. I love you. Help me. UNTIL,” it read in part.
In 2018, Jon was given sole legal and physical custody of Collin – neither Kate nor her attorney showed up for court – so Collin moved in with Jon.
Collin has no relationship with Kate
In a November interview with Entertainment tonightCollin confirmed that he is estranged from his mother.
“After being [institutionalized]”I wasn’t in a relationship with her,” he explained. “Even before that, I don’t think we were really in a relationship and I think that just dragged it down even more.”
Collin said he was “mentally in a dark place” as he spent time in two places: “I think being in a place like that does more damage than it helps you.”
Collin also blamed their hit TLC show (which eventually turned into Kathy Plus 8 after the couple’s nasty divorce) for family dynamics.
“I want to believe it was because of TV and what being in the public eye does to a family,” he said ET. “I think it pulled us apart and gave us less time to be together as a family and more time to be in the public eye.”
Hannah moved in with Jon in 2018
Last year, Hannah spoke of the “difficult decision” to leave her siblings and live with her father and Collin.
“I chose to live with my dad, I feel like I just made the choice for myself. I’ve always been closer to my dad and we’ve always had a strong, good relationship,” Hannah shared ET. “It’s a lot, growing up in a very busy household with lots of kids. And there’s not really a one-on-one relationship, for attention, that you have with your parents. I felt like my dad was giving me that attention and a feeling that I had a good solid relationship with a parent.”
Similar to her claims in the forthcoming documentary, Hannah claimed “there was unfair treatment in my mom’s house and I just wanted to live with my dad.”
Kate and Hannah recently got back in touch
Jon revealed to The sun that Hannah “talked to her siblings and her mother” on her 19th birthday on May 10.
“It’s been fun,” Jon shared, praising Hannah and Collin who “have matured a lot over the last few years.”
Jon is estranged from his other children
During the same interview two months ago, Jon said The sun he “didn’t speak” to the other sextuplets on their birthday.
“The last time I spoke to Alexis, Aaden, Leah and Joel was in 2018,” he said. “I’ll never give up talking to my kids. I’m hoping with social media that maybe one day they’ll reach out to me.”
Jon added, “The door is always open to rekindle any kind of relationship. I’ve tried for years to interact with one of my other kids, but nothing so far.”
The Gosselin episode of Dark side of the 2000s airs July 18 on Vice TV.
